Pan-Fried Tequeños with Cream Cheese Filling

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Golden-fried Venezuelan cheese sticks made with dough wrapped around creamy cheese, perfect as a savory appetizer or snack. This Latin American-inspired recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, turns all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, cold and cubed, cold water into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 8, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 45 min Cook: 10 min Serves 8 Latin American cuisine 250 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in 4 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. Step 2: Gradually add 1/2 cup cold water, mixing until a smooth dough forms; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  3. Step 3: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch wide strips.
  4. Step 4: Wrap each 3-inch cream cheese stick tightly with a dough strip, sealing the edges well.
  5. Step 5: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat to 350°F; fry the wrapped cheese sticks in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  6. Step 6: Remove the tequeños with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; serve warm for a gooey, cheesy bite.

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